On July 11, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held in Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Townstone Financial, Inc. that the Equal Credit Opportunity Act (“ECOA”) protects prospective applicants and prohibits creditors from discouraging prospective applicants on the basis of sex, marital status, race, color, religion, national origin, or age.  Lenders and other financial institutions should take note of Townstone, as it expands the ECOA to apply even before a credit transaction begins.